Cheyenne Christman is prepared for wherever her harness racing journey takes her

by Victoria Howard

Cheyenne Christman is like a breath of fresh air and just what our sport needs more of.

Don’t let her age fool you, as this young woman has already accomplished more than women who are twice her age.

Born in Sacramento, CA, Christman’s family spent summers racing their standardbreds at Cal Expo, but their main headquarters was The Meadows in Washington, PA, where they have raced for decades.

She is a third-generation horsewoman, on both sides of her family, and has always been heavily involved in harness racing.

The Christman legacy began with her grandfather, Walter Christman, Sr., who owned and raced horses in the 1970s. When Walter’s son, Mark graduated from high school, he got a job working as a caretaker for the great late Delvin Miller. The founder of The Meadows and owner of one of harness racing’s greatest stallions, Adios.

“My father got a job working for Delvin Miller,” Cheyenne said. “Delvin, along with several other horsemen signed for my dad’s trainer’s license. After working for Delvin dad eventually went out on his own, training and owning standardbreds with my grandfather.

“On my mother’s side, my grandmother was also a caretaker at The Meadows and when my mom graduated from high school at 17, she followed her mother’s passion by working with the horses.

“As fate would have it, my father met my mother at The Meadows, they fell in love, and together started their own stable.

“That was over 30 years ago and today they are still married. I’ve been told that when a husband-and-wife work together, usually it doesn’t end well, but my parents are proof that it can work.”

After working for her parents, Cheyenne became more independent.

“After my parents decided to cut back on horses, I branched out on my own,” Cheyenne said. “During my senior year I worked for trainers Jason Robinson and Brandon Presto. I then became a freelance caretaker, meaning I worked for any trainer at The Meadows who needed help. I highly recommend this because it teaches you that everyone operates differently, and that there’s more than one way to reach the winner’s circle. Your progress may look different from someone else’s, but what matters is focusing on your own path.”

There are important quotes both from her parents and mentors that Cheyenne carries with her.

“The first one is from my dad,” she said. “’It’s not what you do some of the time, it’s what you do all the time.’ And the second comes from driver Aaron Merriman. ‘Success is progress.’”

YouTube played an important part in the start of Cheyenne’s harness racing career.

“When I was a child, I loved to sing and act,” she said. “I was a theater kid who helped my parents in the barn and loved to ride horses. I began making YouTube videos to promote my music, which eventually led to me vlogging about harness racing.

“It caught some attention which led to Chris Lomon writing an article about it in Harness Racing Update. That article opened doors to harness racing marketing and media.

“I freelanced for HHYF in December 2020 interviewing Brady Brown, and then interned with the MSOA in 2021 under Kim Hankins and Dawnelle Mock. I also began taking on freelance social media clients — like Aaron Merriman Racing — whose page I’ve managed for three years now.

“In 2024 I joined USTA as a multimedia content specialist, where I’ve been full-time ever since.”

Cheyenne said her role with the United Stated Trotting Association is diverse.

“I design graphics for U.S. Trotting and HarnessRacing.com, shoot and edit our long-form videos, handle post-race interviews, and create on-site content for major events like the Breeders Crown, Hambletonian, and Kentucky Futurity, etc.,” she said. “Occasionally I contribute to the Hoof Beats photography, direct our HarnessRacing.com preview shows, and occasionally do on-air work.

“I have also worked as a PR and outreach assistant, learning the ins and outs of Ohio racing. During that time, I worked as a freelance television director for American Teletimer at Miami Valley and Dayton Raceway, collaborating with the TV crew and on-air talent to create the simulcast broadcasts that bettors see every day.”

Cheyenne is also a horse owner.

“Yes, I have one,” she said. “He is a retired trotter named Hoopie, who earned just shy of a half-million dollars during his career. When he retired from racing, he became my barrel horse and together we competed at the Pennsylvania State 4-H finals in Harrisburg twice. He was also the flag carrier on Adios Day two years in a row.

“My parents always broke their racehorses to ride as part of their training program. It helps with their cardiovascular health, knowing where their feet are and overall attitude. Just like human athletes, horses need a variety in their routines. That’s what made Hoopie such a successful racehorse over his long career [from age 2 to 14].”

The purpose of the column Superstar Females of Harness Racing is to honor females in the sport — drivers, owners, trainers, grooms, and office workers — who devote their time and love for the horse.

Cheyenne has some superstars that she looks up to in the sport.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with many amazing women in the industry, like Wendy Ross, Dawnelle Mock, Tasha McCormick, Renee Mancino, and Jenn Daniels; but the woman I admire most is my mom, Joelene Christman,” Cheyenne said. “I know I may be a bit biased, but my mother is the most talented and well-rounded horsewoman I know. She trains, shoes horses, drives, outrides, and even repairs tack for anyone who needs it.

“She’s also the kindest person I know, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without my parents. They have supported me in everything I’ve ever wanted to do.”

For the future, Cheyenne said she looks to add on to what she’s already done.

“Harness racing is my life,” Cheyenne said. “I sleep, eat, and drink it, and there is nothing I’d rather do. I truly love what I do and the people I work with daily. Our U.S. Trotting social media team — Kyle Creditt, Rich Johnston, Mark Hall, Dan Leary, and Wendy Ross — we accomplish so much together and I’m proud of what we created.

“Going forward I want to keep promoting the sport that my family and I love so much and to find innovative ways to reach new fans and younger audiences, whether it’s through photography, videography, social media, or on-air work. I would love to do more on-camera work in the future, but for now I’m excited to see where the journey takes me.”